CD REVIEW: THE MAJESTIC UNICORNS FROM HELL – A Matter Of Less In More

CD REVIEW: THE MAJESTIC UNICORNS FROM HELL – A Matter Of Less In More
Independent
February 2016
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
7 ½ /10

“How can less be more? It’s impossible – more is more!” says Yngwie Malmsteen in the ridiculous (sampled) spoken word intro over a slinky jazz piano, and more is exactly what The Majestic Unicorns… deliver on this instrumental (mostly, apart from a trick bag of samples) opus.

This is ten tracks of Heavy Metal unencumbered by the restrictions of vocals, if you like: a dynamic, throbbing mutant wall of riffs and thunderous rhythms played with virtuoso-like talent.

There’s plenty of light and shade, too: Monstrosity takes after its moniker; Vivaldi Opus III ebbs and flows as the heaviness surges in and out, proving that the songs never suffer in favour of self-indulgent soloing; Green Thursday Mr Beast jumps between rhythms like a metal Zappa, it’s monolithic heaviness only rivalled by its technical mastery and similarly Zappa-themed title; and closer The Black Chords kicks arse.

The Unicorns are indeed Majestic at times, and whilst it would be interesting to see what they could do with a great singer, A Matter Of Less In More proves that heavy metal can thrive without vocals.

Category: CD Reviews